1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to stakes for holding signs. More specifically, this invention relates to stakes for holding signs that provide one or more retention members integrated as a part of the stake.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of devices have been used, proposed or are well known for holding signs. Typically signs have been stapled or nailed to wooden stakes, which are driven into the ground. Some stakes have been described that use alternating vertical wire extensions to hold the sign in place. Both such devices have been found to be susceptible to wind and other weather effects, which tend to cause the sign to become disengaged from the stake, thereby destroying the very purpose of the device. Other prior sign stakes are complex mechanical devices, which have a substantial number of component parts or which require substantial machining. Such stakes, because of their cost, are not useful in a low-cost disposable sign, minimal assembly use.
The reader is referred to the following U.S. patent documents for general background material, although they may not necessarily constitute prior art to this invention. Each of these patents is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material contained therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,467 describes a sign support stake, whose main component takes the form of an elongated, sheet material member, which has a hat-shaped configuration in cross-section.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,937 describes a stake for holding a sign upright and comprising at least two parallel and spaced-apart elongate legs, one end of which legs for being driven into the ground and the other end of which legs for supporting a sign above the ground, and at least two longitudinally spaced-apart cross-members secured to and connected the legs together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,902 describes a stake that is drivable into the ground for holding a sign post. The stake has a clamp at its upper end so that the stake can be driven into the ground, then a conventional sign post can be clamped for support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,039 describes a sign display kit that includes a flexible transparent waterproof plastic container, which contains the other materials in the kit; i.e., a sign, a stake, a rubber band for mounting the sign on the stake, and optionally one or more rubber balloons.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,914 describes a sign support stake that may be combined with a jack for extraction of the stake.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,233 describes a multi-section support post for a reflective, roadway delineator that collapses upon impact at a replaceable joint.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,211 describes a memorial marker that includes a cap, that is attached to the uppermost end of a rod and is a conventionally-oriented five point star that has a pair of lowermost pointed arms that depend skewly outwardly from the rod, and which equidistantly straddle, and clear, the uppermost end of the rod.
It is desirable to provide a sign stake that provides increased sign holding ability, even under adverse weather conditions, and that is a low cost mechanical structure that requires no assembly.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a sign stake that has a tension clamping structure for holding the sign in place.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a sign stake that is a single piece wire-like construction.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a sign stake that is adapted to be easily installed in the ground, generally without the use of tools.
Another object of this invention is to provide a sign stake that, in various embodiments, is compatible with a variety of sign sizes and materials.
Additional objects, advantages and other novel features of this invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of this invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Still other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description wherein there is shown and described present embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of some of the modes best suited to carry out this invention. As it will be realized, this invention is capable of other different embodiments, and its several details, and specific structural components are capable of modification in various aspects without departing from this invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
To achieve the foregoing and other objectives, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, a sign stake is provided with two or more legs capable of being inserted into the ground, two or more clamping sections capable of holding a sign in place and one or more structural elements holding the legs and the clamping sections together.